continual

[kuhn-tin-yoo-uhl]

adjective

1. of regular or frequent recurrence; often repeated; very frequent.

   continual bus departures.

   Synonyms: repetitious, repetitive, recurrent, successive

2. happening without interruption or cessation; continuous in time.

   Synonyms: unending, permanent, unbroken, unremitting, uninterrupted, incessant, ceaseless, unceasing

continual

/ kənˈtɪnjʊəl /

adjective

1. recurring frequently, esp at regular intervals

2. occurring without interruption; continuous in time

Confusables Note

Although usage guides generally advise that continual may be used only to mean “intermittent” and continuous only to mean “uninterrupted,” the words are used interchangeably in all kinds of speech and writing with no distinction in meaning: The president's life is under continual (or continuous ) scrutiny. Continuous (or continual ) bursts of laughter punctuated her testimony. The adverbs continually and continuously are also used interchangeably. To make a clear distinction between what occurs at short intervals and what proceeds without interruption, writers sometimes use the contrasting terms intermittent ( intermittent losses of power during the storm ) and uninterrupted ( uninterrupted reception during the storm ) or similar expressions. Continuous is not interchangeable with continual in the sense of spatial relationship: a continuous (not continual ) series of passages.

Other Word Forms

• continuality noun
• continualness noun
• quasi-continual adjective
• quasi-continually adverb
• uncontinual adjective
• uncontinually adverb
• continually adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of continual¹

First recorded in 1300–50; from Medieval Latin continuālis, equivalent to Latin continu(us) “uninterrupted” + -ālis adjective suffix; replacing Middle English continuel, from Middle French, from Latin, as above; continuous, -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of continual¹

C14: from Old French continuel, from Latin continuus uninterrupted, from continēre to hold together, _contain

Example Sentences

But capitalism—with its continual destruction of old values on behalf of fresh, profitable opportunities—has always meant new rounds of winners and losers in the economy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

His success had arrived so early and would remain so continual that he almost always felt older than he was.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This came despite the men’s relay team’s continual struggles to safely pass the baton in several previous Games.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Television is an industry that relies on a continual public voting system — people watch or they don’t watch, and the networks renew, cancel and tweak their programming accordingly.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"But that scene is burnt into my memory and is a continual companion."

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• around-the-clock 
• ceaseless 
• continuous 
• endless 
• enduring 
• frequent 
• interminable 
• perpetual 
• persistent 
• recurrent 
• relentless 
• repeated 
• steady 
• unbroken 
• unceasing 
• unending 
• uninterrupted 
• unremitting